What exactly would you need to use a computer as an HDTV? I would imagine you need a good video card with DVI slots and a LCD monitor. What resolution should the monitor be? What do the minimum specs on the computer need to be? Are there any programs you would need to make it function as a TV? Thanks in advance.
I’ve seen USB tuners for this purpose in stores for about a hundred bucks. Presumably, you’d need one of those to pick up the signal. Good question about the software… I’m wondering if it’s easy to find software to record a particular channel at a particular time onto your hard drive.
That begs the intriguing possibility of using one’s desktop as a TiVo-like device. Such a setup might have distinct advantages over a set-top unit. The new HD TiVo units can be configured for a maximum capacity of two terabytes. Stackable external drives on a desktop can surpass this. Also, a savvy Internet operator might be able to undercut TiVo’s monthly service fee by selling the customer software which would interface with the tuner to record specified shows automatically, while at the same time providing constant automatic software upgrades which would mimic Season Pass capability. If they could provide these upgrades for say 2 – 4 dollars per month, they might be able to give TiVo a run for their money. This will probably have an advantage in terms of permanent archival too, as computer Blu-Ray burners will be available before standalone inline burners, and at first will probably be less expensive. A desktop burner will also make authoring a lot easier than it would be with a standalone unit.
A decent HTPC will have a dual core processor. You’ll need it to handle parallel recordings/viewing of HD content. An AMD x2 will suffice and will be more economical than a pentium, specially when you take overclocking out of the equation (I don’t overclock my HTPC components since space and heat are of more concern given the smaller case).
Video card wise you’ll need one with HDCP support for copyrighted HD DVD’s and eithe DVI or HDMI output.
In order to get TV into your PC you’ve got three options:
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Free over the air local HD + analog input for your basic cable provider. What you need: 1 or more Hybrid tuners.
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Unencrypted cleam QAM inputs for your basic digital cable provider. This will usually get you the local HD channels + and the basic cable standard definition lineup in digital quality. What you need: 1 or more clear QAM tuners.
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Cable card tuners. This will get you full access to your cable or sattellite provider’s digital lineup and Hd content. What you need: Cable card currently requires a fully certified system. You’ll need to buy an HTPC from a Cablecard provider, you won’t be able to build it yourself.
As for software, there are a few good options: SageTV and beyond TV are good. Also vista home premium and ultimate comes with media center, that’s what I use. Unfortunately it doesn’t natively support clear QAM so I use Silicon dust’s HDHomerun which “tricks” Vista into thinking it’s an over the air tuner.
No one has mentioned the monitor resolution yet. You’ll get the best results if it can support 1920x1080.
It’s mostly been done with MythTV and others like Kinthalis posts. Paying for 3rd-party channel schedules is about all you have to do.
My personal feeling is that it would be more cost-effective to use an actual TV rather than a PC as in the OP, but I don’t know for sure.
You should bear in mind that an LCD monitor has a smaller viewing angle than an LCD television - don’t plan on this unless you intend to be parked pretty much directly in front of the screen.
As others have touched on, there are significant differences between TV viewing and computer monitor viewing. For TV, you need to be able to view it comfortably from a distance, possibly at an acute angle. The user interface needs to be legible from a distance. The system must be able to display interlaced video nicely. You must be able to do everything with a remote control. Non-technical people need to be able to use it.
All of these things are possible with a PC setup using the likes of MythTV or Windows Media Center, and if you are are comfortable with tinkering with software that may be the best option. But for most people it might be simpler and cheaper to just buy a consumer DVR.